Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest (1066-1104) was a period of expansion by the Duchy of Normandy under the rule of William the Conqueror. Under his reign, Normandy expanded from northern France to control all of Britannia and parts of France, founding the Angevin Empire.

Early Wars
William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, became the Duke of Normandy in 1036 at the age of seven, and at a young age he suppressed rebellions such as the one of Val-es-Dunes in 1047 and many others. He also had to resist his sometimes-ally France, led by Henri I. By 1050, William was in possession of his rightful domains, and he fought frequent wars with Anjou for possession of the nearby Maine Department and with Conan of Brittany. In 1064 he defeated Conan, and in 1066, with the backing of the Papal States, he invaded England. In the Battle of Hastings in October 1066 William defeated the army of King Harold Godwinson and killed him, leaving the throne of England open. He captured London from King Godwine shortly after, followed by Nottingham, and he quelled a rebellion by Ambrose Adames in 1072.

Mastery of the Isles
William the Conqueror made himself King of England in the aftermath of his conquest of the Anglo-Saxons, and he introduced new architecture and French was spoken in court. After 1080, England expanded its lands in France, with Robert of Normandy leading a siege of Rennes and Bordeaux in the 1080s to annex new lands to the empire. However, King William was eager to establish mastery at home first. He had assassinated Scottish diplomat Angus MacDougall in 1070, and in 1080 Prince Rufus captured York from the English rebels of Captain Paul, taking over all of present-day England.

In 1084, Duke Robert of Normandy conquered Rennes from Captain Andry's Breton forces, annexing Brittany to England at last. Ten years later, King William conquered Caernarvon from Welsh captain Hubert and his rebels, securing Wales as a province of England. William converted the Welsh people to Christianity, as he did with his other subjects. In 1100, Duke Robert again added more lands to England, taking Aquitaine from Gervaisot's French rebels.

Scotland to the north seemed to be an easy target for England, as the recent English victories against opponents had made England's army the strongest, and England the most advanced faction. In 1104 King William captured Edinburgh from Scotland's king Malcolm III, and in 1108 Dublin was taken, leading to the Norman acquisition of Ireland. The final conquest was Inverness, taken by William, ending Scotland's independence.